Plant Care Guide

SmartScape Plant Care Guide

In general, native grass lawns don't require much care and maintenance. That is one of the things that makes them great. If you plant the right species, you don't have to fall into the endless cycle of fertilizing, watering, and mowing.

Groundcovers have several benefits associated with their use. They minimize erosion, dust and mud around your house. They provide a cooling effect during hot summers. Some are very drought tolerant. Some make excellent choices for narrow or isolated areas that are difficult to maintain. Others are well suited for those shady areas that don't support the growth of many plants.

More often than not when people think of color or seasonal interest in the landscape, annuals come to mind. In Texas SmartScape, our focus for seasonal color and foliage is on perennials, those plants that return on the same root system from one year to the next.

In general, shrubs require even less maintenance than plants such as perennials. This generalization does not apply if you intend to maintain a manicured hedge along walkways instead of planting dwarf shrubs.

Fall and winter are the best time to plant trees, since they don't suffer from transplant shock as much as summer planted trees. Trees need the opportunity to grow roots before being subjected to summer heat and dryness. In this section we will attempt to outline the primary maintenance considerations for planting and growing trees.